1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector for electrically connecting a flexible cable, in which contact terminals are arranged with high density, to an electrical circuit such as a printed circuit board and, more particularly, to a small-sized connector which can achieve excellent contact with a flexible cable in which a large number of contact terminals are alternately arranged in a staggered form at very small pitches.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, the sizes of electrical circuits such as printed circuit boards have been extremely reduced. At the same time, a demand has arisen for increased integration densities of the circuits themselves. In order to meet these demands, small-sized, high-density flexible cables and connectors have been produced to connect between these types of electrical circuits. For this reason, in e.g., a flexible cable, contact terminals are alternately arranged in staggered form, so that a large number of contact terminals can be arranged with high density in a very small area. Such a flexible cable is connected to a connector attached to a high-density connecting portion of a printed circuit board.
A conventional connector of this type includes contactors arranged on one side surface of a connector housing and brought into electrical contact with contact terminals of a cable inserted in the housing. The connector also includes a slider for urging the contact terminals of the flat flexible cable, inserted in the connector housing, against the contactors in the connector housing and connecting the terminals to the contactors. After the cable is inserted in the housing, this slider is fitted into the housing to clamp the connecting portion of the cable with the one side of the housing.
When the contact terminals of the cable are arranged in staggered form as described above, however, contact terminals are alternately arranged at front and rear positions with reference to the end portion of the cable, along their longitudinal direction. Therefore, a contactor train in the connector housing which is electrically connected to the contact portions of the cable is arranged to have an interval in a direction to insert the cable. Therefore, the size of the connector housing is increased. In addition, space for a cable inserted in and connected to the connector housing and space to allow for fitting the slider are required. Therefore, in the arrangement of a conventional connector, the size of the entire connector is inevitably increased. Another problem is that when the cable is clamped with the connector housing for connection, or when the cable is disconnected from the connector, the distance of movement. i.e. removal and insertion of the slider with respect to the connector housing, is increased, thus increasing the size of the entire connector.